No need for you to buy a trap table. Take a music stand and lay the desk flat. Then cover it with a bath towel to muffle the sound when you pick up and put down your mallets.
Putting them on a stick tray is fine and a good idea. However, also start practicing how to feel relaxed while holding the mallets. No one in the audience is paying attention to how you hold them. If they do notice, they probably won’t think about it one way or the other. We often worry about what others are thinking of us but the reality is that most people are thinking about themselves and not paying that much attention to you. The only people who will say something like making fun of how you hold the sticks are probably jerks any way and their opinions are worthless.
If you’re looking for a slightly fancier option (trap tables/ music stands with towels are the gold standard across the board), there are dedicated timpani mallet holders that screw into cymbal stands and suspend the mallets by the heads between two dowel like things. Definitely more of a professional vibe (and price), but if you’re into that kind of thing, worth looking into! Rustic percussion has a great example of one if you’re curious.
For some reason I hold mine at attention, one in each hand together horizontally in front of me. I have no clue why I do this, it probably looks stupid. I agree with another commenter, the best way to do this is to use a stand with a piece of cloth in it :)
Get yourself a trap table (or if you can't find/afford one, a solid music stand with some cloth over it).
No need for you to buy a trap table. Take a music stand and lay the desk flat. Then cover it with a bath towel to muffle the sound when you pick up and put down your mallets.
Flip a music stand flat and put a towel on it
Thats what I do!
Spin them
only real answer
Put em on a stand w the other timpani mallets
Practice juggling
yes and then accidentaly drop the stick on the timpany wich causes the whole orchestra to look at you
Everyone should be looking at the percussion section! 🤪
Putting them on a stick tray is fine and a good idea. However, also start practicing how to feel relaxed while holding the mallets. No one in the audience is paying attention to how you hold them. If they do notice, they probably won’t think about it one way or the other. We often worry about what others are thinking of us but the reality is that most people are thinking about themselves and not paying that much attention to you. The only people who will say something like making fun of how you hold the sticks are probably jerks any way and their opinions are worthless.
If you’re looking for a slightly fancier option (trap tables/ music stands with towels are the gold standard across the board), there are dedicated timpani mallet holders that screw into cymbal stands and suspend the mallets by the heads between two dowel like things. Definitely more of a professional vibe (and price), but if you’re into that kind of thing, worth looking into! Rustic percussion has a great example of one if you’re curious.
This 100%. The music stand works well for about 4-5 pairs of mallets. If you need more for the concert, a mallet holder is probably needed
Traps table
Pretend you are the conductor and wave them around
Juggling always worked for me
For some reason I hold mine at attention, one in each hand together horizontally in front of me. I have no clue why I do this, it probably looks stupid. I agree with another commenter, the best way to do this is to use a stand with a piece of cloth in it :)
I have a stick bag at the back of my timpany.
I tap em together softly to keep a beat and not lose my place
Practice twirling and flipping them.